Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the previous week. Here are this week’s stories.

• Monday, 29 Mar – 2021 SCA Awards winners announced. There were several winners under the Best New Product category, including Caravela Coffee for its El Compás de Café. Onyx Coffee won three out of four Coffee Design awards, while the Pachamama Coffee Cooperative won the Sustainability Award for its Alto Mayo Landscape Peru REDD+ Project.

• Monday, 29 Mar – Oatly partners with Yeo Hiap Seng to invest US $30 million into Asian manufacturing infrastructure. This investment will pave the way for Oatly products outside of the European and North American markets. Oatly will be manufactured at Yeo’s Senoko Way factory in Singapore. Yeo Hiap Seng has produced plant-based milks for over a century.

• Monday, 29 Mar – Nestlé Professional partners with Nanoveu to create antiviral screens for automated coffee machines. The self-disinfecting screen protectors will be used on out-of-home coffee machines. The Nanoshield film is made from PET foil with a copper-activated resin layer, and is certified antiviral.

• Monday, 29 Mar – Colombian arabica production down by 500,000 bags compared to last year. At this time last year, Colombia had produced 6 million bags of arabica coffee.

• Monday, 29 Mar – Mazzer launches Super Jolly V Pro grinder. Fifty years on from the release of the first Jolly model, Italian grinder manufacturer Mazzer has released the newest in the range. The Super Jolly V Pro includes an electronic interface for remote control and is designed to increase productivity by 20%.

• Monday, 29 Mar – Winner of 2021 New Zealand SCA Barista Championships announced. Luise Metelka of Flight Coffee in Wellington won the championship and also won the Outstanding Milk Beverage award on the first day of the event.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Nespresso opens flagship concept store in Vienna, Austria. The “boutique” will seek to combine both “offline” and digital sales. Nespresso plans to open similar stores over the new few years.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Vinculum to launch AI-powered pilot project to support Colombian coffee farmers. The start-up aims to empower coffee farmers by collecting and providing advice based on farm data collected through satellite technology. The project will take place in Planadas, and will give farmers information on how to manage and reduce production risks.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – HEMA becomes first major retailer to use “farmer connect” software. The retail outlet has over 800 stores in 13 countries, and will use the “farmer connect” technology to improve traceability across the supply chain. HEMA’s long-term aim is to only supply sustainably-sourced coffee.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Sheffield Coffee Festival set to be first physical UK coffee event as nation comes out of lockdown. The event will take place on May 22 to 23, and will be the first ever coffee event in Sheffield. It will also host the Northern Filter Championships.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – NoirePack Inc established to support black-owned coffee roasters in the US. After finding a 41% fall in the number of active black business owners during the Covid-19 pandemic, Edward McFields launched NoirePack to promote sales for black-owned specialty coffee roasters.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Evoca and Macas announce partnership to manufacture high-quality coffee vending machines in Asian markets. Italian manufacturer Evoca has historically focused on bean-to-cup espresso machines, while Chinese Macas is one of the only manufacturers in the country offering bean-to-cup machines. The joint venture is expected to provide a faster response to market needs through product development.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – SCA and World Coffee Events announce All-Stars Online Season 3 will return April 6. The virtual series will feature six top-ranking World Coffee Championship competitors, all discussing recipes for their signature drinks and taking part in Instagram Live chats.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Bend, Oregon coffee shop fined US $27,000 for violating Covid-19 regulations. This is the second fine Kevista Coffee has received for breaching Covid-19 health and safety regulations. The owners plan to appeal the fine.

• Tuesday, 30 Mar – Cup of Excellence to host two virtual cuppings during April and May. On April 16, attendees can sample the 2020 Guatemala CoE winning coffee from Antigua Buena Vista Y Anexos with its producer, Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre. After that, from May 7 to 22 CoE Head Judge Scott Conary will lead the Sensory Education Training Virtual Calibration course.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – UCC Coffee UK&I rebrands Grand Café in three-year partnership with Conservation International. The rebranding includes newly-designed and sustainable packaging options, as well as several initiatives to support conservation efforts, including a project aimed to help Colombian farmers. Grand Café is also working with TIPA and TUV Austria to create fully compostable packaging.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – Global cold brew market expected to grow by US $1.119 billion by 2024. The Covid-19 pandemic is predicted to have a neutral impact on the growth of the market; market research firm Technavio predicts a CAGR of 28% from 2020 to 2024.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – Specialty Coffee Transaction Guide reports negative impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on specialty coffee sales. On April 8 a webinar will be held detailing the report, with a Spanish version to follow on April 15.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – San Pellegrino launches coffee-flavoured range of sparkling natural mineral water beverages. The San Pellegrino Essenza range includes Exotic Vanilla & Coffee, Delicious Cocoa & Coffee, and Smooth Caramel & Coffee. Each 330ml (11.15 fl oz) can contains 30mg of caffeine.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – CIRAD’s ECOFFEE R&D Initiative aims to progressively reduce pesticide use in global coffee production. Seven roasters (including Nestlé and Starbucks), three importers (including Olam and Mercon), and three research organisations will look to achieve zero chemical pesticide by the end of a ten-year roadmap. The initiative will also support studies on non-pesticide based pest control approaches.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – Lincoln & York launch new “Ready-to-Buy” coffee products. The range includes cafetière sachets, Easy Serve Espresso pods, and teabag style coffee bags. Most of these products come in fully recyclable packaging, and are certified OPRL.

• Wednesday, 31 Mar – Funcafé delivers aid to 218 families in Samac Cooperative in Cobán, Guatemala. Donations were received from Lavazza and the European Committee for Education and Agriculture after hurricanes Eta and Iota affected families in Central America last year. Funcafé was able to provide food, fertiliser, and roof sheets for home repairs.

• Thursday, 1 Apr – NCA Data Trends study reports that at-home and on-the-go coffee consumption have hit record levels in 2021. The spring study found that 85% of US coffee drinkers are having at least one cup of coffee at home – an 8% increase on the winter study of January 2021. Drive-thru and app-based orders also increased by 30%.

• Thursday, 1 Apr – Mayorga Organics develops 24/7 order pickup lockers. At the company’s Rockville, Maryland location, customers can enter 5-digit codes or scan barcodes to retrieve their coffee orders. When placing online orders, customers can select “pick up” to use the system.

• Thursday, 1 Apr – Baratza releases single dose Hopper for Encore, Virtuoso+, Vario, and Forte grinders. The smaller hoppers are available in black and white, both with a capacity of 60g. The newly-designed hoppers can be used as dosing cups and to transfer beans into the grinder.

• Thursday, 1 Apr – The Coffee Knowledge Hub set to launch Youth Academy in UK and Italy. The one-year programme is offering six scholarships to coffee professionals aged 18 to 30 to take part in online and in-person certified training sessions. Courses will cover topics including green coffee, roasting, and sensory, barista, and brewing skills.

• Thursday, 1 Apr – Sucafina’s Exploring Origin Series set to end on April 22. The last entry in the webinar series will focus on Kenya and Ethiopia, with registrants receiving coffee samples from both origins to cup and provide feedback. The virtual event will begin at 4pm EST.

• Friday, 2 Apr – Lavazza announces “Roadmap to Zero”, aiming to be completely carbon neutral by 2030. The company will be investing EUR 50 million in 2021 alone in their sustainability projects. Lavazza has already achieved zero impact from carbon emissions from direct company activity, such as production and flagship stores.

Here are a few news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Tuesday, 23 Mar – Nestlé launches contactless automated coffee machines. The company is aiming for the machines to be used in office environments once global lockdown restrictions are eased. Distribution in Russia and China will begin soon.

• Tuesday, 23 Mar – CATIE and Volcafe develop sustainable agroforestry programme for coffee farmers. The research centre and global coffee trader will promote shade-grown coffee and cultivation of native varieties, and will focus on income diversification for farmers. Agricultural best practices and mitigating the effects of climate change will also be encouraged.

• Wednesday, 24 Mar – Caffe Luxxe creates “The Original Coffee Kombucha”. The Los Angeles roaster uses their Montenero Blend, as well as kombucha culture and raw brown sugar, to create the beverage. Flavours available include Original, Cola, Black Cherry, and Vanilla.

• Thursday, 25 Mar – Coda Group manufactures 100% plant-based Solinatra capsules. The company claims the capsules biodegrade at the same rate as fruit peelings (such as banana skins). Solinatra pods are home compostable and are said to leave no contaminants behind.

• Thursday, 25 Mar – J.M. Smucker & Co. forms partnership with Peet’s Coffee. Peet’s will support J.M. Smucker with its out-of-home liquid coffee product development and manufacturing, with a focus on selling to hotels, universities, hospitals, and conference centres.

• Friday, 26 Mar – Italian National Commission of UNESCO refuses espresso application for cultural heritage status. The Italian Ministry of Agriculture presented two applications: one on the “rite of traditional Italian espresso coffee” and one on the “culture of Neapolitan espresso”. The Commission requested a joint 2023 candidacy, asking for it to focus more on the social and ritual aspects of Italian coffee culture.

• Friday, 26 Mar – Peet’s Coffee launches fully plant-based breakfast sandwich. The Everything Plant-Based sandwich includes Beyond Meat sausage, JUST Egg, and dairy-free cheese on a bagel. The US coffee chain also offers oat milk, which is used in their Horchata Cold Brew Oat Latte and Golden Spice Cold Brew Oat Latte.

• Saturday, 27 Mar – Vietnam reports reduced demand for its coffee. Prices per kilogram have increased on last week, but the Suez Canal blockage is expected to cause significant delays for robusta coffee to Europe. Demand is expected to grow as Ramadan begins in mid-April.

• Sunday, 28 Mar – Civilized Coffee and billionaire Mark Cuban partner to launch new coffee line. The Florida roaster has launched a range of Colombian coffees with Cuban, who owns the Dallas Mavericks US basketball team.

• Sunday, 28 Mar – Australian university uses formation of coffee ring stains to develop research on blood diagnostics. Monash University partnered with Cambridge University to study how coffee stain rings are formed. Similar pattern formation is also common in blood, and the research could be used to treat anaemia.

• Sunday, 28 Mar – Formula 1 partners with Drive Coffee for multi-year deal. The Colorado company will be the official supplier for the international auto racing tournament. The partnership will also launch an exclusive range of branded products sold online and in grocery stores around the world.

• Sunday, 28 Mar – Research from British Ecological Society finds coffee pulp can speed up recovery process after deforestation. The two-year study found a 1.6-foot layer of coffee pulp helped to revive the land back into a small forest. The application of the pulp also allowed more native tree species to grow.